Having fun away from home stimulates our senses of adventure, exposing us to popular past-times and new entertainment trends. But the cost of titillation is expensive, especially when multiplied by each family member.  Splurging is fine sometimes, but keeping pace with family entertainment requires a balanced approach, offsetting costly outings with cheaper ways for families to enjoy life together.

Creative solutions fit every family dynamic, so try a few home-oriented leisure activities to bring the members together.  And there is nothing wrong with branching out, so each family member is represented in low-cost group activities.

Dine In Instead of Going out to Eat

The benefits of staying close to home for supper are not just reserved for families feeding many mouths.  Couples save money eating-in too, and the resulting good-times can be more rewarding than restaurant meals.

When adults and children are involved, the name of the game is making kitchen tasks fun.  Themed meals, focusing on regional cuisine are particularly engaging for kids of various ages and provide learning moments that help children master cooking skills.  When in doubt, gather the family around a Mexican-themed buffet supper or unroll a selection of make-your-own pizza ingredients for kids to customize their own suppers.

Upping the ante is more affordable at home too, where gourmet treats come with lower price tags than those purchased at restaurants. Expensive seafood and other exotic ingredients are affordable for home cooks, even when purchased in limited quantities, providing high-brow menu entries without leaving home.  

Beverages enjoyed in pubs and restaurants add significant sums to meal bills, sometimes pushing them beyond affordability.  At home, diners responsibly enjoy adult beverages at a fraction of the cost. Savings can be applied to other menu items, or used to buy better wine to accompany supper.

Start a Club

Hobby clubs serve all kinds of past-times, most commonly literary appreciation.  Book clubs bring together readers with common interests, providing forums for in-person discussion about books and authors.  Similarly, hobby clubs allow cooks, investors, and amateur athletes to exchange experiences and grow within their hobbies.

Meeting places shift periodically, so most clubs aren't strictly based from your own residence.  If you want to host full-time, make it known to the group, which might appreciate a steady meet-up location.  Aside from the costs of hobby materials you'd be buying anyway, it doesn't cost a thing to share your hobbies with others.

Making your initial purchase of materials can be costly however will save you money in the long run so is worth while considering.  A lack of savings does not necessarily make this impossible, there are opportunities to access extra cash via a payday loan, just be sure you check rates first.

Gather Around Sporting Events

Sports provide great excuses for getting together with family and friends, even if going to the game isn't always feasible.  Instead, alert interested family members and friends about televised matches, inviting them to partake in joint fandom with you.  With sports fans already in the house, gatherings can be kept small, or opened up to kids' friends and other interested enthusiasts.

Be Creative

Artistic and musical expressions often go unexplored due to hectic schedules and social conventions.  There are no limits on the way you express yourself at home, opening-up creative possibilities for art projects and music.  Basic art supplies are inexpensive, and probably present in your home already.  For a fun, low-cost distraction, gather the family to work on creative crafts and genuine art projects together. At the very least, you'll appreciate the low-budget bonding opportunity, but talented families also end up with usable artwork.

Musical families have built-in reasons to interact, naturally sharing their musical inspirations.  Even if some members have not yet mastered instruments, families can still make music together using rhythm and percussion instruments to bang-out simple beats.  As families grow and talents emerge, low-budget entertainment can blossom into bonafide musical sounds, creating continuing opportunities for families to entertain one another without large cash budgets.